~ The Autumn Seashore ~

Here is my design wall this morning.

The temps will still hit the 90s this week here in southern Cal ...

... but I am officially declaring it autumn.

In trying to decide just how I would merge this season with the sea, I chose to light up some jack o'lanterns with sea life. Then while in the process of drawing said pumpkins, I remembered that I had drawn pumpkins before.
In another life, under another (pattern) name, I had published a pattern for a 90s era folk-art fall wall hanging.  I have long since grown weary of the fabrics in it, but I decided that since I had drawn the pumpkins in the first place ... I could copy my own design.




Then ... I started thinking ... why not copy the whole dang thing?
I knew I wanted calmer sea colors and I wanted to add some light to the pumpkins, but it seemed a good idea not to try and reinvent this particular wheel.

So I got out my pattern and I followed it.
  

Having recently been to the beach and become fond of all the lovely lavender, I knew what color the flowers would be.

I kept my print palette to dots, stripes and solids.

I vow to have this pattern up on my Etsy Shop ...
not next week, but the week after.

Next week I will be immersed in a class taught by this master quilter.

I feel cooler already!

~ white wash ~

If you couldn't tell by now ... I'm a "phase" kind of gal.  Meaning, I go through a (new decorating/color) phase, I make some changes, I enjoy the phase.

Until, I inevitably move on to a new one.

I will, however, state in my defense that there is a short list of my phases ... I'm not ALL over the place.
Much.

Because there are a finite number, sooner or later I come back to phases that have been my friends before.

Which is also economical, since I keep stashes of certain basic phase components.

Maybe because it's been so SO hot here the last week or maybe because the cream has risen to the top as they say ...

But, I am feeling the need for some uncluttered white.
I'm loving my bathrooms.
I feel cooler already.

How about you?  Are you a phase kind of gal?

Please tell me that you are.

~ The Color (Day): Purple ~

I didn't even realize I had anything from my home to post in this color range until I realized that I just keep seeing it ... outside ... and that it warms my heart every single time.

The lovely blossom above is  from a walk very near my home.

As I perused my beach pictures, I realized there was an abundance of purple:
  

 I love how it is heightened by all the blue.

Yum.

More deliciousness ... surrounded by white ... surrounded by green.

Always wanting to bring a bit of the beach into my home, I picked these lavender lovelies when I repotted some things on my porch a couple of weeks ago.

And then this weekend as I was starting yet another sea quilt ... and yet wanting it to have a hint of autumn ... I found myself in my stack of purples. 

I'm very excited.

Now, if we could just have some autumn temperatures around here, I could really be happy!

~ Summer isn't Over ~

Last Saturday I decided to go and browse some of my favorite antique stores in San Juan Capistrano.  It was a beautiful day and I started out with a delicious lunch at The Mission Grill.  Then I headed to The Old Barn Antique Mall with the express purpose of finding some coastal memorabilia.  I had been to these shops before but it's as if those items were all snapped up before they made it to the store.

And then ...  

While turning the corner ... the last measly corner ... I hit the jackpot. Dealer 91.  A treasure trove of coastal finds, reasonably priced and mine for the perusing.  After picking up and handling most everything, I decided on these three amazing finds.
{1} The  painted board, seen above.  Now hanging in my studio to remind me that in California ... it's always summer!

{2} The oil painting seen here.  I keep finding new reasons that I think it's breathtaking.

I was a bit chagrinned to see that there was a small splotch of paint on the frame ... the exact same color as my wall! I don't want anyone to think that I tried to paint the wall without removing this lovely work of art.
My walls  were painted before I hung anything on any wall.

I'm just making myself clear.
  

{3} Last, but not least is this stunning piece of metalwork filled with nautical goodness.

It serves as a table of sorts and is large enough to balance a plate and a glass at the same time.

Can you believe my luck?!?

~ One Year Thanks and ... Discounts ~

So ... my one year anniversary of the launch of this ...  my Sea Quilts blog ... falls this weekend.

One year ago, I put up the (above) picture of my "Thar She Blues" quilt and asked you to be my friend.

You agreed and we pretty much lived happily ever after.

The happiest part of this adventure was becoming your friend and (thank you linky parties) seeing hundreds of your blogs and ideas and photos and ... fun. I can claim friends all over the world that I did not know one year ago. 

Isn't this an amazing world we live in that makes that possible??!

I spent most of this year sewing my brains out and 3 months ago launched my Etsy Shop where I am selling the patterns to the quilts and pillows that have consumed my time ... and brains.

In thanks, I would like offer a discount to those blog friends who stop by to check it out this coming week. (If you saw this here today ... you are my friend!)

Just enter the Discount Code:

blog1birthday

and you will receive 20% off any of the patterns ... and even the completed pillows.

Thanks for your support and friendship.

(Now ... shouldn't a birthday involve cake?)